Teaching unions have retreated from plans to call a national one-day strike before Christmas. The news will be a bitter blow to teachers across Britain who want to see a serious fight that can beat Tory education secretary Michael Gove.

The British business delegation to China headed by George Osborne and Boris Johnson was more interesting than these things usually are. Chinese people still have bitter memories of imperial arrogance during the colonial era. So, if they noticed the visit at all, they must have been amused by Britain hustling for Chinese custom.

Features

The government blames migrants for most of society’s ills, saying they come to use the health service or undercut wages. Raymie Kiernan spoke to four people who have come to Britain to find out the real reasons why they live and work here